Inishowen cancer care campaigner Roseena Doherty Toner has announced she will stage a second protest outside Letterkenny University Hospital, demanding clear action on the HSE’s pledges.
Clonmany resident Roseena, who is in remission from leukaemia, staged a protest on Wednesday calling for upgraded facilities for cancer care at LUH.
Roseena believes that a standalone cancer unit will play a role in improving cancer care and wait times in the north west.
During her protest, the HSE released a statement to say that efforts are underway to improve chemotherapy start times at LUH.
Last month it was revealed that less than a third (31%) of cancer patients are treated in the recommended timeframe of 15 working days at LUH.
The HSE said that the “vision” for cancer infrastructure at LUH is to develop appropriate Ambulatory Cancer Facilities while a Cancer Centre is progressing at Galway University Hospital.
Roseena has said she has little faith in “plans”.
Following her protest, she took to social media to thank those who supported her on Wednesday.
“It was so good to hear people agree that facilities need to be upgraded,” she said.
Roseena recounted a previous meeting she had with LUH management in 2022, commenting that plans for ambulatory cancer facilities have been in place since then.
“How long does it take a plan to progress?” she asked.
Roseena, unhappy with the HSE’s statement, said she would not wait another two and a half years for action.
“The HSE needs to come up with something better than ‘there is plans progressing’,” she said.
“I want to see plans, I want to know that they have picked a site, I want to see a sod turning ceremony and I also want the doctors to be part of the planning process. They are the people that know what they need in a cancer care facility.”
Roseena also said she is awaiting a response from Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD. On Tuesday, she had emailed the minister to state that the cancer care facilities at LUH “aren’t good enough to support the county the size of Donegal.”
Roseena’s second protest has been scheduled for Monday 31st March from 9am outside LUH again.
Fine Gael Senator Nikki Bradley, a cancer survivor, has praised Roseena for her ‘unwavering advocacy’ in the fight for better cancer care services in Donegal.
“Roseena’s courage and determination is truly inspiring,” said Senator Bradley. “She has turned her own experience as a cancer survivor into a powerful call for change, ensuring that the voices of patients across Donegal are heard loud and clear. I want to sincerely thank her for her tireless efforts on behalf of our community.”
Senator Bradley says that key improvements are needed to address the growing waitlists and extended delays in care of patients seeking treatment in Donegal. This action includes expanding Letterkenny’s cancer care by increasing inpatient beds, enforcing timely treatment within 15 days of diagnosis, and hiring specialised oncology staff.
Senator Bradley said: “It is unacceptable that patients in Donegal continue to face long waits and long journeys for essential treatment. This is something that I have raised in the Seanad and to the Minister for Health throughout my time as a Senator, and will continue to do so until a solution is found”.
Senator Bradley is urging the Minister for Health and the HSE to listen to the concerns raised and to take swift action to invest in cancer care services at Letterkenny University Hospital.
“I stand fully behind Roseena and all those who took part in yesterday’s protest. Their message is clear—Donegal deserves better. I will continue to work to ensure that their voices are not just heard but acted upon.”